The Convenor of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Kenneth Ashigbey, has accused politicians of interfering with efforts by local government authorities to tackle illegal mining, alleging that some Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) willing to enforce the law are being pressured to back down.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, November 14, he said such interference was undermining enforcement efforts and allowing illegal mining to persist.
He likened the situation to firefighters becoming arsonists, arguing that some individuals entrusted with fighting illegal mining were themselves involved in activities that perpetuated the menace.
“This is evidence of what we talk about, where the firefighters are the arsonists. People that we have put in charge to be able to deal with the situation themselves are the people who are involved in it,” he said.
Mr Ashigbey said political pressure was sometimes brought to bear on MMDCEs who wanted to take action against illegal mining operators, weakening efforts to enforce regulations at the local level.
“Unfortunately, the situation is that you have DCEs and MCEs even wanting to do the right thing, but because of the politicians, you see them bringing pressure to bear on even the DCEs who want to do the right thing,” he stated.
Calls for investigations into threats and attacks
The coalition convenor also raised concerns about threats against military personnel and attacks associated with illegal mining, questioning how operators continued to act with apparent impunity despite the presence of security agencies.
He called for thorough investigations to identify the individuals and interests allegedly supporting criminal activities in mining communities.
“I believe that we need to really investigate this. At the back of all of this is this threat that is happening of these people attacking,” he said.
Mr Ashigbey further called for a clear distinction between legitimate mining operators and those involved in criminal activities, including violence, intimidation and the movement of ammunition into mining communities.
He said responsible miners should be protected, while those using criminal means to sustain illegal operations should be identified and dealt with decisively.
Ashigbey backs Catholic bishops’ call for state of emergency
Mr Ashigbey urged President John Dramani Mahama to adopt the recommendations of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference on tackling illegal mining, describing their proposals as a comprehensive response to the crisis.
“For me, I think the call of the Catholic bishops, if you read that statement, it has all the solutions that are in it,” he said.
He particularly endorsed the bishops’ call for a state of emergency in areas severely affected by illegal mining, arguing that the scale of the problem required a more decisive national response.
“I think His Excellency the President needs to listen to the voice of the Catholic bishops to say that enough is enough. Let us declare this state of emergency within these particular spaces,” he added.